When her name was read out on Wednesday, the England-born woman raised her hands in celebration while going up to shake City of Greater Bendigo mayor Andrea Metcalf's hand.

She joined people from Tibet, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Fiji, Italy, South Sudan, Philippines, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Vietnam and South Africa at the Bendigo Town Hall ceremony.

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Ms MIles, who moved from England to Australia in 1952, said it was never too late to become an Aussie.

She had tried before to officially become an Australian but was delayed each time.

"I first wanted to become a citizen when we were living in Melbourne in 1990," she said. "I was married and my husband organised it but then I got cancer. That kind of stopped all of that and then he decided we were going to move to Bendigo for cleaner air.

"I applied up here, but then COVID happened and the papers got lost. I said about two months ago 'I want to try again'.

"It's never too late. That's what I say. You know, I feel really good tonight."

Ms Miles was six when she came from Staffordshire in England to Australia.

Since then she has never looked back.

"My father had a job out here. He was offered a job because his brother came here first and he got a job offer through him," Ms Miles said.

"We had about six weeks I reckon to pack up home. Half the furniture we left around the neighborhood.

"I've never been back to England and I don't really want to. I'm an Aussie."

Ms Miles said she loved the beauty of Australia as well as the people.

"I love everything, the picturesque beaches, the way you can go anywhere. I've been to Queensland, I've been to Darwin. It's just beautiful," she said.

Ms Miles was planning to celebrate her new nationality with her daughter and grandchildren.

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